And The Coming War
by C. Nile De'Mencia
Summary: <html><head></head>This picks up immediately after the anime, with how I think the coming war would progress. Rated T for language and suggestive themes. [Rygart/Narvi]</html>
1. Chapter 1

To all of you wondering if I would ever post another chapter in Surviving Victory, Sorry! I got caught up in an anime and this just sort of happened. There are a LOT of issues with spelling, my beta and I aren't on speaking terms right now and I dont have spell check, so please, bare with me. -Brigid

Rygart was overwhelmed, Vorcues was dead by his hand, and them Rygotts was alive, that had filled him with so much joy he thought his heart might have burst within his chest. Now, Sigyn was trying her best to strangle the life from him with her hug, and her tears were staining the front of his shirt, wetting the blood that had dried on it. "Oh Rygart!" She just kept crying his name while she wept with relief.

Had she not been holding him up so tightly, the un-magician was sure he would already have collapsed from the exhaustion that had overcome him the moment Vorcues' golem had fallen. The soft whir of a bike caught his attention and Rygart looked up from Sigyn's golden locks to see General Boulder heading towards him with Hodr behind him. He tried his best for a smile, but he knew all he managed was a crook of the lips.

The bike shook and jumped down the battle-torn road to them at speed, and screeched to a stop before them, Boulder and Hodr leaping off to embrace the hero of the day. The General stayed himself while the King grabbed both his wife and his friend in a bear-like hug. "You did it Rygart, were saved." Was all he said, giving him a smile. Rygotts, not to be ignored, piped up then, "Who are you people?" he demanded, pointing his diminutive finger at Hodr and Sigyn.

General Boulder was taken aback, as were the royal guards milling about, on watch for enemy stragglers. Rygart gave his brother an exhausted smile, "Rygotts, these are my friends, Hodr and Sigyn, King and Queen of Crisna." his voice was drugged with tiredness, but he managed a wry twist of the lips at the end. Opposed to the shock and awe, Rygotts scrunched his face up in thought for a moment before speaking and directing an accusing finger at the King, "So you're the asshole that made big brother leave?"

The question had jaws dropping all the way to the north gate. The guards flexed hesitantly at their press rifles, while a deep belly laugh rolled from Hodr. "Thats me, you're just like Rygart, you know that?" The king said, wiping a tear from his eye. Rygott's response was cut off by the grating thump of quarts on stone as a heavily damaged Athens Golem trudged up the road, limping severely from a leg riddled with holes.

The stark white golem was closer to a pin cushin than a war machine, sporting only one hand, massive chunks of it's body armor sheared off, and half of it's head torn away. So many bullet holes it had, Rygart wondered how it still moved. The golem was un-armed, but he lurched towards the Delphine anyway while the royal guard surged to surround the king and queen. Two of the surviving fafnir's that had been standing sentry stomped before the royalty, weapons raised, and their voices, amplified by quartz, rang out, "Enemy unit, halt! We will shoot!"

It was a rare moment of compassion from Crisnan soldiers, not to be ignored. The white Golem raised it's hand and nub, but didn't stop, instead lurching up to Vorcues' fallen mech and peering down at it, the Delphine's massive weapon still embedded in it's shoulder. With a horrifying shriek of grinding quartz, the golem knelt/fell down before the group and it's pilot's hatch opened. From the golem dropped Cleo, missing her Athens officer's jacket, and with a small cut oozing blood from her forehead.

She landed steadily and looked from the Delphine to Rygart and back a few times, shock growing on her face. She finally looked to the pilot with stars in her eyes, she was in awe. Soldiers of Athens loved and respected their Generals, but Vorcues was a well hated and feared man, a butcher and a perpetrator of crimes against humanity. For Rygart to have slain this devil, and to walk away whole, even though he was a savage soldier, he would be loved in Ilios for his actions.

Cleo had to admit, the pilot was definitely attractive, and for his actions he was now a hero, she couldn't help the love that was quickly forming in her heart. And he had been a friend of Zess', and after reading over his after-action reports, she had discovered that he had pulled his punches not t hurt Zess. She loved Zess, and it wasn't a secret, but she knew he was happily married, and that she could never have him, but what about Rygart? As far as she knew, he wasn't married, didn't have anyone waiting for him where he came from. There was Sigyn, who clearly loved him, but she was the Queen! She couldn't exactly leave the king for him.

"C-Cleo?" Sigyn asked, confused, "I thought you were going back to Athens?" The golems relaxed their stance, but kept vigilant. The royal guard however, kept their charges surrounded and their weapons trained, not trusting the enemy soldier. "I- well- um- The army retreated, and your golems have the gates locked down..." Cleo stuttered out, turning a bit red in the face. Hodr's expression was distrust, he was moments away from ordering her executed when she read it, "I-I can help! I can help with the golem repairs! D-don't kill me!"

The King wasn't sure how to respond, an enemy soldier was offering her expertise in repairing and retrofitting golems for th next battle, it was a tempting offer, one he couldnt refuse, given the circumstances. "Very well, you may live, but..." he trailed off, looking her up and down and stroking his barren chin for a moment before continuing, "Rygart, you will look after her, she is your charge." He finished with a wicked grin, his school days sense of humor making a return at the strangest time.

Cleo went beet red and Sigyn gave Hodr a withering look. Rygart made a half-assed surprised look, really to tired to complain about anything. "What about Rygotts?" Was his response, "My quarters are tiny for just me, no way I can have three people in there." His speech was getting slurry wth sleep, any longer and his exhaustion would have him sleeping n his feet. "I will arrange for larger quarters for you tomorrow, but now, I think you need some rest." Hodr shouldered past his guards and pulled his friend's arm over his shoulder, supporting his weight, much to the surprise and indignation of the royal guard and his advisors who had suddenly appeared.

"B-b-but your Majesty! you cant be seen carrying a soldier! Its-" Hodr cut the man off with a withering glare that made the old man actually sqeak with fear, for the king's anger was rare and difficult to incite. "Rygart just slayed General Vorcues, he saved every last one of us from certain death and worse, and he is my friend. You would deny him aid to his bed that he may rest?" The King's voice was low and dangerous, clearly, if the man spoke again, it would mean his execution, by the king himself.

The adviser merely squeaked loudly and backed away, his head bowed, allowing Hodr to support the pilot back to the castle. Cleo ducked under Rygart's other arm and helped Hodr while Rygotts followed after them, Sigyn beside the child. General Boulder had slung hs officer's jacket over Rygart's shoulders and now led the small procession through the ruined streets, calling out to fallen golems and gathered soldiers along the way, proclaiming their victory to all who hadn't heard.

By the time they reached the Royal Castle, Binnonten rang with cries of joy and the one name, Delphine, Delphine, Delphine! Many cast a side long glance at the Athens soldier supporting their hero with their king, but none made any move, the king trusted her, they reasoned. Once within the un-touched walls of the castle, another set of cries rang out for the Delphine's pilot, most of the royal aids and servants having been watching the miraculous victory.

Hodr demanded they leave Rygart to rest for the day, and Sigyn took no time in ordering her aids to collect the Delphine and begin repairs immediately. Rygart was infinitely grateful, he didnt have the energy for fans, all he could imagine doing for the rest of his life was sleeping. Hodr seemed to understand this, and with Cleo's help, nearly dragged him to his small quarters. The door swung open with the slightest touch to reveal the tiny, spartan room.

Cleo was pleasantly surprised, she herself didn't really keep many personal possessions, other than her family's pendant, her diary, and a couple of books, she didn't really own anything. All that Rygart kept in his room was a simple traveling pack, a beautiful, ornate, officer's sword, a spare pair of boots, and his uniform manniquin. The only other things in the room were the bed and desk, the latter of which housing only an ink pen and a sheaf of paper. All said, he was very organized, something she liked about him immediatley. And his quarters had a breath taking veiw of the Binnonten and the port.

She and Hodr helped him ease onto the bed, and the king turned to his friend, "Rest Rygart, you have well earned it, I wont call on you for a few days, I think, so enjoy your down time." The pilot Yawned thankfully and gave his old friend a grateful smile as the man left him. Once the door had closed, Rygart struggled to his feet and began to disrobe sluggishly, hanging his- General Boulder's, he noticed from the general's bars on the breast, on the mannequin. As Cleo wathed, her face turned deeper and deeper red, Rygart seemed to have forgotten she was there, and Rygotts was watching him silently, not sure what to say to his suddenly famous brother.

Before her eyes, Rygart stripped, firts off with his shirt, just a ragged fieldhand's burlap thing, but the thick clothe covered his thick, chorded, muscley body, the body of a famer, of a soldier. The shirt sailed into the corner, then he slumped onto the bed wearily and bega unacing his boots. Rygotts spoke up then, "B-big Brother, your so muscular now!" He seemed shocked, his brother had always been strong, but never defined, his time away had him looking like a strong man. "Yeah, its all the trainng I've been doing!" He weakly flexed his arm, putting the thick chords of well definied muscle on display.

Cleo was sure that if she blushed any harder, she would faint, and she nearly did when Rygart's boots clunked against the mannequin and he struggled to his feet, trousers falling limply down his legs. He was wearing boxers, mercifully, but Cleo still felt a little light-headed from all the blood rushing to her face. His legs were incredibly muscled, she doubted that anything could withstand a kick from him. The pilot had collapsed into the bed and was already asleep, one leg hanging off he bed and one arm pinned underneath him, the covers still tucked neatly into the matress.

"Wow..." she murmured as he began to snore lightly, completely oblivius to the world. "Yeah, Big Brother has always been like that, completely gone once his eyes close." RYgotts said, smiling at his brother. The boy really was pissed at his brother fo leaving him and not coming back, but he had missed him, and his love would always out weigh his anger towards his brother, every time. A knock at the door interupted the conversation and Cleo jumped up to answer it. It was Sigyn, with several of her guards loaded down with what looked like clothes and bedding.

"Cleo." Sigyn addressed her nuetrally. "M-miss Sigyn!" almost a squeak, almost fearful. The Quen passed the bundle in her arms to the girl and pulled her from the room, then motioned to the guards, "Set it in their for them." She commanded, the guards carrying the bedrolls int and unrolling them on the floor. "Cleo, there is a lavatory through that door that you an change in, that bundle has pyjamas and a set of clothes for you to wear until you buy something more to your liking."

Sigyn was warm and neutral to the girl at the same time, it was a strange combiation. "I, umm, thank you, M-miss Sigyn." Cleo stuttered out, quickly going to the bathroom and changing into the pyjamas, she may have just been avoidiing combat and running from cover to cover, but still, it had been a long, exhausting day. She trudged back to Rygart's room, the soldiers were done with the bedding, and Sigyn had tucked the pilot in. Rygotts was waving his brother's sword around, marveling at how it caught the afternoon sun in it's engraved surface.

Rygotts saw her come in and quickly put the sword backon it's rack. He sat on the window ledge and fixed her with a questioning glare. "W-what is it?" She asked hesitantly, his glare putting her on edge. "Who are you?" He asked her pointedly, he couldn't hate te king and queen of his country for keeping his brother from him, but this girl, he culd direct his hate at, if she had anything to do with it. "M-me? Im Cleo Seburefu of the Seburefu family of Athens." She said proudly. The boy's eyes twitched towards the sword again, making Cleo very nervous.

"You're a soldier, from Athens?" His hand began to edge towards the large blade, setting the girl on edge. So intent were they on their stare-down, that they were completely caught of guard by the entry of a new voice. "She was a soldier of Athens, technically, she is a prisoner of war now." Rygart's sleepy but alert voice emanated from the tangle of covers and pillows that was his bed, causing Cleo, who had just sat down on the bed to shoot off of it to alert feet with an "eep". Rygotts too was shocked, that they had been almost whispering were his thoughts as he scrambled back an inch or so on the wide sill.

"B-Big Brother!" "R-Rygart!" were their shouts of surprise. "You two talk too loud, go to sleep... And quit playing with my sword Rygotts." Rygart said, his pile of covers shifting before a lite snore drifted up from the mound. "I thought you said he was a heavy sleeper!" Cleo whispered harshly, sitting back down lightly on the corner of the matress. Rygotts' face was still painted with shock, he had never managed to wake his Big Brother before, ever. The boy jumped down from the window sill and peeled off his clothes, quickly getting beneath the covers and dropping off into sleep.

Cleo laid down on her mat and tried to get comfortable, but found herself... lonely. She fell asleep, but it was an un-easy rest that had her tossing and turning. Her dreams turned to nightmares and she couldn't help but cry out in her sleep.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Your Majesty, a report on our forces!" A messenger from General Boulder announced, bowing almost till his forehead scraped the floor. "Very well, proceed." Hodr said with a sigh, the report would be dismal, he knew, they had been beat, their saving grace had been that Rygart had killed Vorcues and Boulder had Killed Neo, if either of the enemy generals had lived, they would likely be swinging from the rafters by their necks now.

"Majesty, 23 Fafnirs remain ready to fight," this was met with gasps and groans from the chamber a large, "The Delphine is undergoing repairs as we speak, but it will take time, Queen Sigyn has insisted on some kind of addition that set the rapairs back three days at least." Grumbles of interest and displeasure sounded, but no one objected, "Our foot soldiers suffered surprisingly few casualties, their number currently stands at just over 250." sounds of approval, "The number of Golems retrieved and deemed repairable: Fafnirs stand at 35 easily repaired, and 19 too severly damaged for repairs, consigned to scrap and parts." Their were more groans at his news, their forces were decimated.

"We have retrieved approximately 60 of the enemy Taulus Golems, all six of their new model Artemis golems, and three command golems, one identified as the "Hychilian" piloted by General Vorcues, the golem piloted by General Neo, and the golem piloted by Colonol Ioe, although Ioe's body was not found, so it is suspected that he fled his golem and retreated with Athen's main army." As the messenger finished and bowed to Hodr, there was a clamor rising in the chamber, all of his advisors fighting to be heard and arguing over possibilities.

"SILENCE!" Hodr yelled, for the first time raising his voice. The chamber became dead silent, a mouse might have been heard breaking wind. "Messenger, can the Command Golems be repaired? The "Hychilian" and Colonol Ioe's in particular?" Hodr asked the quaking man. "Y-y-yes, Highness, Q-Q-Queen S-Sigyn h-has already egun repairs on b-both of them along with the D-Delphine, she s-says that the "Aster", as she has named it, will be ready tomorrow, and that the "H-Hychilian" will be finished shortly after the Delphine." The messenger almost managed to quell his quivering and stuttering.

The news was well met by the council, a bit of good in the shit storm of bad. "Very good, dismissed." Hodr sent the messenger scurrying away, then he addressed the council himself, "Very good, The Aster, Delphine, and the "Hychilian" will be repaired and ready for parade by the time Orlando's envoy arrives for negotiations, and, if all goes well, a goodly portion of our Fafnirs should be repaired and some of the Artemis's as well, we should be able to make a pretty good presentation of ourself, if all goes according to plan."

The council held various murmurs of agreement, until someone asked the inevitable question, "Who will pilot the Aster and the "Hychilian"?" Hodr had been thinking about the "Hychilian" at least, since he watched Rygart take it down. General Tru would have been the ideal pilot for such a golem, but he was no longer an option. "That... is a good question." Was the king's response.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Rygart woke to a strange new sensation, there was someone with him in his bed, ensconced within his personal tangle of pillows and blankets. He didnt want to open his eyes just yet, so he used his ther senses to figure out who it was. He could feel the warmth of the other body starting just above his ankles, up to his chest, soft, warm skin, covered in a sheath of soft, warm cotton, long, silky hair tickled his abdomen and chest.

Two orbs of lush, warm flesh pressed into the bottom of his ribcage, and his nose was filled with the scent of flowers. Rygart went rigid, his eyes snapping open to look down at his companion, Cleo. She was wrapped around him tightly as a vine on a trellis. He could feel himself rising and wassure he had flushed from head to toe. 'Nononononononononononoooo!' he screamed in his head, preparing to shove her off and sprint to the nearest cold shower available.

Then he heard his fate being sealed, the brisk knock on the door and Narvi's voice calling out to him as the door opened. He froze up, knowing that she might leap straight to removing his balls the moment she drew back his covers. "Rygart, are you awake?" Narvi asked, not ounding herself. He wanted to get up and ask her what was wrong, for he could hear distress in her voice. When he didnt respond, he heard her footsteps begin to withdraw, 'thank the gods!' he silently praised his chosen deighities in hs head.

Then the clarien of his doom sounded, "Waaah? but I caaaan Leeeeee..." Cleo talked in her sleep. The footsteps abruptly stopped, then there was a rapid clack of heels on stone and the covers were dragged from him, exposing his bare, beet red flesh to the chill morning air. The sequence of expressions that crossed Narvi's face was rapid fire and unreadable, then suddenly settled on rage, her fist drew back, and Rygart found his voice, "Wait Narvi please no!" He rushed out, lurching back, but bogged down by Cleo, who shift on him, the neck of her sleeping gown falling open.

Through a massive exertion of self control, his gaze stayed firm on Narvi, who had granted him a few moments to speak his final words. "I-" Rygart didn't even comlete his sentance, the change in expressions on Narvi's face caught him off guard. Pure sorrow engulfed her features and she let her fist fall. "I'm sorry for interupting you sir, forgive me." The pilot was so taken aback by her deference to him that his mouth fell open. "Narvi?" He asked, confused. Her eyes, having lost focus for a moment, snapped back to him and her face colored, bewildering him.

Then he remembered, "Cleo! Wake up!" He said, shaking the girl and prying himself free. Then he rememered that he was also almost completely naked, and he flushed. "Please wait in the hall, Captain." He managed out, swallowing his embaressment in gulps. The woman nodded and withdrew from his room. "Cleo what the hell!" He yelled, jumping ut of bed and rushing to the chest of drawers recessed into the wall beside the mannequin. Cleo just groaned sleepily and nestled back into the warm blankets.

Rygart scowled and hurried to dress himself, pulling on his dress slacks and shirt, then pulling on his-General Boulder's officer's jacket. 'I really need to get this back to him...' He thought to himself as he straightened it and then belted on his sword. He almost tripped over Rygotts, who was still sleeping like a hibernating bear. He opened the door and stepped out, composed as he could manage. Narvi was waiting for him, at attention, her face serious, but clouded with un-fathomable sorrow.

"N-Narvi? Are you ok?" He asked her, concern scrunching his face. He had never seen her so sad, although he hadnt known her all that long. "Nothing, sir." She rattled off, trying to seal her emotions, and failing with the tone of her voice. "Narvi, Why are you calling me sir? and whats wrong, you can tell me you know?" He said gently, not wanting to pry, but not likeing his captain like this. "Rygart, you were promoted, Brigadier General, you out-rank me, by a lot. And, General Tru, he was... he was... he..." SHe trailed off as tears began streaming from her eyes and her whole body sagged.

"General Tru is- Oh Narvi!" Rygart was shocked, the confident old man was dead, he didnt think such a stubborn man could die. With out hesitation, he wrapped the sobbing woman in a hug. She went stiff at the contact, but relaxed after a moment, fresh tears pouring from her eyes like a fountain. Rygart just held her, rubbing her back and humming soothingly, hoping to calm her soon, but not minding to wait, he knew the pain of losing a father, he had just lost his last year, and he still felt the bitter bite of loss even now, and a few tears of his own began to flow.

Narvi's tears finally subsided some ten minutes later, and she pulled away from Rygart, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket ad swiping at her cheeks and eyes, puffy and red. He followed suit, wiping away his own tears with a kerchief of his own. "Thank you Rygart, I needed that- hey, why were you crying?" Narvi asked him, confusion on her face, she knew that he had never met General Tru, why wuld he morn the man's death? "Huh, oh, its just, my dad died last year, and General Tru was like a father for you and Nile, it ust reminded me of my own dad is all." Rygart said, finishing and stowing the kerchief in his pocket once more.

"Oh, Rygart I-" Narvi was cut off by a waved hand, "Dont worry about it, I have had time to grieve my father, you havent, I understand, and Il be here if you need smeone to cry on." Rygart told her wanting to move quickly away from the topic, so as to avoid more tears from him, but not wanting to sound callus or leave her to greive on her own. "I- thank you, Sir." She said, real gratitude in her eyes. "Now, are you hear in an official capacity, uh, Captain?" Rygart said, trying his best to sound like the general he now was.

Narvi smiled, "Yes, Sir, I am here to inform you of you're promotion and of the official ceremony later this morning." She said, giving him a crisp salute, which he returned in kind. "Thank you Captain, is their anything else?" He asked, surprised at the speed at which Hodr had sprung this on him. "No sir. But Rygart, what would you say to a little training before the ceremony?" She asked him, relaxing from her at-attention posture. The General smiled, "Sure, lead the way."

The two walked down to the training fields, passing a few guards and soldiers that saluted to them, Rygart was finding it a hassle to salute back to every soldier he passed, until Narvi told him that he didn't have to, "Sir". At the fields, Rygart shed his-Boulder's jacket, and sword, and followed Narvi, who had done the same, out onto the field with training blades. The duo took up positions abut ten mil from eachother and bowed, holding their weapons out towards their opponent, the ready for battle.

Narvi started the fight, leaping forward with a massive over-head swing, aiming to beat him in one strike. Rygart flicked his training blade up and easily deflected Narvi off to the side, following up with a slash to her exposed ribs, and scoring a hit. "H-how?" She cut herself off mid-question, instead moving into her next attack, much more cautious now. "I asked Jirga to train with me." Was Rygart's reply as they began to trade blows, Narvi taking few hits and landing less, Rygart either dodging and parrying eloquently, or taking the captain's strikes indifferently and lan ding painful blows to her ribs.

They continued like this for a while, gathering a crowd of new recruits watching them with awe. Truly, it must have looked like art in motion the way Rygart and Narvi moved together in this dance of flesh and steel, this flurry of movements, so much more intimate than any couple experiences, the embodiments of earth and fire, strong, un-moving, biting and consuming, and air and water, light and fluid, slipping through fingers moments before impact, going head to head and mixing together before smashing apart and rejoining, again and again and agian and again.

A bone-jarring clang rang out and the blades fell away, Narvi and Rygart having disarmed themselves simultaniously. The field went quiet, no one speaking, the crowd's thoughts: a draw? Two forces, on one hand, Captain Narvi, a great leader, incredible Golem pilot, top of her class in the academy, and protege of the late General Tru. On the other hand, this blond-haired beast whom seemed to match her in every way on the battlefield, oe maybe even surpass her. Who is this guy?

Both Rygart and Narvi began laughing, so hard tears ran down their faces, so hard that it ceased to be a response to the draw, and more to their situation. The crowd grew un-easy, the laughing becoming a bit unnerving. "Well done Rygart, well done." She said, wiping her eyes and crouching to grab the practise blades, now sporting numerous chips and cracks along them, ready to shatter at the next blow they took. She tossed one to him and they turned towards the weapons racks, finally noticing the crowd that had gathered.

The crowd quickly began to disperse, not needing the scowl that Narvi gave them anyways. They dropped their ruined practice blades onto the rack and gathered their jackets. Narvi led them to the barracks to wash off the sweat and dirt that had gathered on them durring their match, and soon they were back outsde.

"Narvi, where does General Boulder stay?" Rygart asked suddenly, fixing her with a look of curiosity. She was surprised at the suddeness of the question and it's topic, and looked at him accordingly. "I- This is his jacket, he gave it to me after I beat Vorcues, and I would like to give it back to him is all." Rygart explained, scratching the back of his head wryly. "Mine got tore up pretty bad in the fight."  
>She understood, "Ok, I'l take you there." She said, leading him back to the barracks portin of the castle. As they walked, a thought came to Rygart's mind, "Narvi, how dod you and Nile and Loggin make it back? I didn't see your golems anywhere?" The Captain had a strange laugh at that. "A headless Fafnir." She told him, remembering the reliefe of finding her squad still alive, and then running back in Nile's decimated Golem.<p>

"What? A headless Fafnir?" Rygart asked, confused and trying to imagne one in his head. "We were attacked by Ioe and his men when you ran after Jirga, my golem was cut in half by the psycho in the golem wit the bladed arms, Loggin's was shot up and his cockpit was breached, and Nile fought Ioe. He almost beat the bastard too, but then his Fafnir's head was sheared off and Ioe drove his giant sword straight through the middle of it." Her expression was one of witnessing a miracle over and over while she described the attack.

"Narvi, by that description, you all died!" Rygart said, confused as hell. "I know! The hatch on my cockpit burst and I fell out just before my golem was crushed, Loggin only has sratches, and Ioe's blade missed Nile by inches!" Narvi said, not quite believng the situation herself, but thankful for it anyway.

They had reached General Boulder's quarters and refrained from continuing their conversation, instead, Rygart knocked on the door. It was still early-ish, so there was a possibility that the General would still be in his quarters, and as luck would have it, he was. There was a grumbling from teroom and a few moments later, the door opened. Generl Boulder looked discheveed, his hair ruffled, clothes wrinkled and unsightly. His glasses were gone, revealing vibrant maroon eyes, a perfect match to Jirga's.

His eyes were puffy and red from crying, and Rygart suddenly felt awkward being there. He shrugged the General's jacket off and held it out to the man, "Thank you General Boulder-" He cut the pilot off with a waved hand, "I am not in uniform Rygart, pleasem just call me Marten, and besides, I hear we are equals now, though I doubt you will be leading any troops." He said with a wry smile, taking his jacket from the boy. "O-of course Gen- Marten." Rygart said awkwardly, unsure wha it meant that the General was being so friendly.

"Umm, Marten, I just want to say, about Jirga," The general tensed, hated tears treatening to overwhelm him once again. "He... He was sorry." Rygart said, feeling the lie sting his lips as it came out, even though it wasn't exactly a lie, more half of the truth, but Marten didn't need to know that. The General's tears fell, endless at Rygart's words. "Thank you, General Arrow, please excuse me." The man said in a soft, broken voice, closing the door gently.

No sooner had the lock clicked than Narvi and Rygart heard a ragged howl from the other side of the door. Both the Captain and th General were shocked, but they left him, he had to work through his grief himself. As they withdrew from the hall, Narvi checked the time, "General, your ceremony will begin in just over half an hour, you should return to your quarters and prepare yourself." She told him, pointing to her pocket watch. "Oh, right, walk me to my chambers, Captain?" Rygart asked her, posing the question as a polite request, but in reality, he didnt actually know where he was in the castle. "Of course, General." She said, starting off down a hall, seemingly at random.


	2. Chapter 2

The ceremony was incredibly grand, surprisingly so, concidering Crisna's being in the middle of a war. There were hundreds of people in attendance, civilians and military alike. The ceremony itself was taking place outside, on one of the expansive training fields on a raised podium were the King and Queen, Rygart, Narvi, Nile, Loggin, Boulder, and several other people of varying importance and merit. Behind the raised stand stood several golems that many of the people in attendance had never seen before.

The Aster stood at the head of the golems, fully repaired and with a fresh coat of yellow paint, blue stripes racing acrossed its arms and legs, and two wide stripes under each eye. Behind the Aster, four of Artemis golems stood, all of them deep blue, and between the Artemis' and the Aster stood a solitary Taulus. It had enlarged shoulder pauldrens and a helmet of sorts over it's head. There were spades stenciled on it's healmet and left breast, and the Athens flag had been replaced with that of Crisna. Hodr went on about valor and sacrifice, about gearing up for war, and being as feirce as they were 80 years ago, being independent and free. He gave out awards to some of the soldiers on the stage, and then it was Rygart's turn.

"Armored Cavilier First Class Rygart Arrow, step forward." Hodr commanded, drawing attention to the mystery man that had so many of the soldiers in attendance scratching their heads as to who he was. A lone cry from his brother in the crowd, and encouraging smiles from Sigyn and Narvi carried him forward, to a kneel before his king and his friend. "Cavalier Arrow, for your service in piloting the Delphine, and for single-handedly defeating the feared General Vorcues, I present you with this promotion to the Rank of Brigadier General, and many more medals than I care to list off now, on behalf of all Crisna, I thank you, my friend."

Absolute silence met the kings announcement, and carried through the presentation of Rygart's new rank insignia and it's pinning on his jacket. The eyes that were turned up to him were filled with deisbeliefe, awe, and adoration, some even with fear, many of the golem pilots in the city had seen the Delphine fighting the "Hychilian", had seen the brutality and force, the sheer tenacity and incredible manouverability of the war machine and it's pilot, they respected him, they feared him, they loved him.

Applause and cheers for him rose, making the young General flush, noone had ever applauded him in his whole life, it was strange and made him incredibly uncomfortable. Rygart would have fled to his quarters then, but Hodr stopped him with a sadistic grin, "And now, I present to Lietenant Nile, the Aster!" Hodr announced, the golem in question taking a knee for the man. Nile was floored, the damage he could do with this mech was untold, it was a great gift indeed. "I thank you, my king!" He said , kneeling before his king. Hodr smiled and bade him rise.

The king turned to three soldiers that had been given medals, but not mentioned otherwise. "Armored Cavalier Third Class Doren, Armored Cavalier Second Class Arette, Armored Cavalier Second Class Arison, Armored Cavalier Captain Narvi, please step forward." He commanded. The three Cavaliers, Doren, a bulky, well muscled, deeply tanned, dark haired man of no more than 30, stepped forward first. Next were what Rygart asumed were Identical twins, Arette and Arison were both thin and atheletic with the increibly pale skin and blidingly blonde hair that about half of the country were blessed with. The girls stepped forward in unison, kneeling to the exact same degree as each other, with th exact same posture.

Narvi approached her King last, kneeling to him respectfully. "Cavaliers Doren, Arette, and Arison, you have been assigned to the Millinel troop under the command of Captain Narvi, you have also been assigned the captured Artemis Golems to pilot in the coming war with Athens. You have all three been Promoted to Armored Cavalier First Class. Armored Cavalier Captain Narvi, You are hereby promoted the Armored Cavalier Commandant, and have been Assigned the Refitted Taulus to lead your troops with."

All four of the soldiers responded with, "We thank you, our King!" from the knelt positions. "With that, I declare this Ceremony complete." Hodr said, giving all his sunjects a smile and briskly leaving the podium, accompanied by his guard. Sigyn approached Rygart and spoke quietly, "General, wont you accompany me to the hangar? I have things to show you with the Delphine." "Of course, Sigyn, can Rygotts come as well?" Rygart said, smile at his brother's earlier enthusiasm at seeing the golem his brother piloted up close. "I dont see why not, General.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The two days passed strangely for Rygart, Most his time was spent napping or attending his knew duties as caretaker for Cleo and Rygotts, and as General. Boulder was right, he wasnt assigned any command, but he still had an incredible stack of paperwork to fill out for all his new privledges.

The morning of the day the Delphine was slated for her repairs to be complete, Sigyn herself came by his new quarters to speak with him. Her shock was much more... painful, than was Narvi's at finding Cleo in his bed, Sigyn knew how old the girl was. She was moments away from crushing his manhood to dust with her pistol when the girl in question spoke, "Oh, I'm sorry Miss Sigyn! It wasn't anything inappropriat, it's just easier to sleep with him! Please dont hurt him!" She said, desperate not to cause him pain and lasting injury.

"Is that so?" Sigyn said, a look of disbelief on her face as she withdrew her pistol by milimeters. "Yes I swear it!" Cleo said, flushing and cowering a little, the Queen can be seriously scary. "Hmmph, very well." She holstered her ornate pistol, much to Rygart's releif, and took a more relaxed position. "Rygart, I came to tell you that the Delphine's repairs will be finished in about an hour, as well as the "Hychilian", and you will be put on parade at one, so you should have plenty of time to adjust to the changes in it's handling."

"Oh, well thats good." Rygart said, remembering what Sigyn had showed him of her upgrades to Delphine. "Rygart, remember to do your best and look impeccable during parade, Orlando's representatives will be arriving around the same time, and we need to make a strong impression to gain their support in the coming war." She told him in a very serious tone, hoping he would understand and reflect his new rank.

"Thanks for the warning, I will." He told her, giving her one of his lopsided grins that she so loved, melting some of her anxiety. Her thoughts drifted to other things, of how she desired to close the gap between them, to touch her lips to his, to feel his hands upon her, caressing her while he tasted her, and she him, how she so wished he werent so dense, she so wished he had understood her desire for him when they were in the academy, so that such a simple kis wouldn't be tabboo now. Her heart broke, over and over, shattering into millions of shards like so much quartz, smashed against the ground.

Her cheeks had turned beet red in her journey through the ocean of her desire for the man, as a lover and a friend. "Umm, Sigyn?" Rygart's voice shattered her thoughts the same as her heart when she realized that this was the reality, and that the General, holding her to him, ravishing her mouth with a blazing kiss, that was the fantasy. She rushed out of the room with a hurried excuse about having other things to do.

Rygart was bewildered, but didn't have time to ponder Sigyn's behaviour, as she had just pointed out, Del would be finished soon, and he had to be there to take it out and adjust to the knew upgrades. He had to make sure that Cleo and Rygotts were ready for parade later too. He lugged himself out of the warm, cozy bed, and over to his chest of drawers. He took out a fresh pair of dress trousers and a clean shirt.

Whle he dressed, Cleo retreated to her room to dress as well, guessing correctly that as his ward, Rygart expected her to be present for the public display, be it for personal reasons, posterity, or just to show her off as a war trophy, she didn't know. She had pulled on a dress that Sigyn had given her, and was brushing her hair as she walked back into the main room to hear Rygotts cry out indignantly and see Rygart exit his brother's room, brushing his teeth.

The general went to the wash basin in the corner and spit, then rinsed his mouth as the younger of the Arrow brothers came running out of the other room, brandishing a farm impliment threateningly. "Dammit Rygart! Why did you kick me! I was already up!" The younger demanded, waiving the hoe around. "No you werent Rygotts, now get dressed, you and Cleo have to be presentable for today." Rygart told him calmly, completely ignoring the tool being waived athim like a scimitar.

With a grumble, Rygotts submitted, retreating to his room. Cleo watched, enraptured by her guardian's calm and commanding, and ensnared by his so very toned, well muscled body, each and every chord standing out as he bent to pick up his shirt from where it had fallen, then pulling it on, and consequently struggling with the buttons. With a laugh, she walked to him and pushed his hands ut of the way.

She began meticulously fastening each of the double buttons, all the way up to the last one before his collar, leaving it fashionably undone. SHe then folded his collar down and took his jacket from the mannequin and held it out for him. Once he had put his arms in the sleeves, she adjusted it to hang comfortably on his shoulders and handed him his belt with his officer's sword.

Through this, Rygart watched with a new sense of admiration. He fastned the belt around his waist, then turned to face her fully, "Cleo, that was amazing! Where did you learn to do that so well?!" He asked her, stars in his eyes. The girl blushed, turning away slightly to hide her ambaressment at his compliment. "I, well, I had to learn so I could dress my fiance." She told him, abashed.

"F-fiancee! B-but your only twelve! you culdn't be engaged to marry at your age!" Rygart's expression was horror and disbelief, Cleo didn't understand. "Well, I was actually ten at the time, but why are you so surprised? dont the people of Crisna marry at ten?" She was genuinly confused, in Athens, it was common practice for a family to marry off their daughters at such a young age, encouraged even.

"W-w-what! You were only ten! No! You cant be married in Crisna until at least 15! What kind of barbarian marries a child!?" Rygart was actually angry, to think that it would be normal to marry off your child before she was even a teenager, it made him so angry, for what reason he couldn't explain. Cleo took a step back, she had ever seen Rygart angry, for any reason, and it was kind of frightening.

At her backing away from him, Rygart saw she was scared by his reaction,"Oh, I'm sorry Cleo, that just seems so barbaric, it makes me so angry." He didn't really know how to apologize for reacting how he thought was appropriate to something so monsterous, "Thanks for doing up my buttons, make sure Rygotts is ready." He rushed out ad quickly left, thinking hrd about the whole thing.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"Whoa, 930 minutes? What did you do Sigyn?" Rygart asked her, surprised by the readout, it was the longest he had ever seen the Delphine able to operate. "Well, after we finally translated all the old language to Western Continent, we discovered what the poblem was. The Delphine is centuries old, and that goes for the coolant and lubricants too, so I replaced the coolant and oils in it, now the Delphine can operate longer and smoother, why dont you take it out to the canyon and try it out, Commandant Narvi has agreed to help you." The queen told him, smiling at her own enginuity when it came to replacing the fluids of the golem.

"Yeah, ok." Rygart said, fastening the harness and closing the hatch. Some quick taps and kicks, ad the Golem rose fluidly from it's kneeling position, much faster than it usually did. "Whoa, its so fast and balanced now!" He said over the comm link. "Thats the new lubricant, the oil that was in it had broken down over the years and had become polluted and dirty. The original lubricant was petroleum based, but we dont have any of that kind of oil on this continent, so I had a speacial blend of fish oil made to substitute. Its not as thick, but it last's much longer than the petroleum based, so while you will feel the hits more, you can fight longer and more agily than before."

The General was impressed, Sigyn had taken an already great machine, and made it even more impressive. With a grin, Rygart, with exageratedly gentle movements, walked Delphine out of the hangar. He casually strolled the golem into the canyon designated for Golem training, and met Narvi, already in her new golem, and ready to fight him. The started out simple, with blunt swords.

As was her wont, Narvi began the fight with a brute force charge, but thats where everything normal about their sparring stopped. Without thinking, Rygart brought his sword up to parry, and smashed Narvi's to peices. The Commandant was shocked, she had never seen even the Delphine move so fast, she had barely seen his sword move at all, and she was hlding a broked mass of quartz. "Whoa..." They both whispered, equally shocked.

Instead of grabbing another sword from the row stacked against the canyon wall, she dropped the shattered mess and moved into a ready position for hand to hand. Rygart smiled, dropping his own blade and lowering himself to a ready crouch, knees bent, prepared for hs Commandant's first strike. Narvi delivered, urging her golem forward at a sprint, deciding to go for a wild flurry of strikes all over him.

The general resonded to the hail of blows by fluidly dodging each one, shifting his golem slightly or leaning a few mil to the side every time, not striking back, but not taking any hits either, he looked like a martial artist. Narvi didn't understand, no golem could move so agily and avoid all her hits so fluidly. She threw a sudden roundhouse, aimed directly for his abdomen, pushng as much force as she could into the single kick, hoping to land at least this one blow on the Delphine.

The golem's foot was caught. Moments before impact, Rygart jerked the controls harshly and his golem's arms snapped up, cradleing Narvi's foot gently, as though it were a clay "tor-tor" so easily turned to dust in his unyeilding grip. He followed the pin up with a lunge and knocked the other golem to the ground. He ended up stradling it with the Delphine, astride it's hips with a fist mil away from it's head. He had won, in one action.

Narvi's laugh rang out through the canyon surprising Rygart to the supreme, why was she laughing? "That was good Rygart, I'm impressed, seems like real battle has given you some cool." The Commandant told him, a little bit of admiration in her voice, some for the Delphine, some for it's pilot. "Now can you let me up, I cant help but think this looks rather compromising."

Rygart colored a little, she had a point, albeit a little abstract, his fist was still raised. The Delphine rose, then offered it's hand to the other golem, helping pull the fallen machine to it's feet. "Oh damn, that took longer than it felt, come on General, we'll be late if we dont start heading now." Narvi said, having checked the time.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Nerana looked around, as the emmisary of Orlando, it was her job to inspect Crisna and it's state, to see wether Orlando should aid the country, or annex it. What she saw was surprising to say the least. The people were in the streets, celebrating victory, the same streets that were ripped and torn and scorched and still embbeded with chunks of quartz and press gun rounds. Children played catch with pieces of shattered golem armor, merchants sold their wares on massive slabs of steel, shattered blades from combat between golems.

As she made her way through the streets, headed for the castle at the center of the city, trumpets began to blare, and the thunderous footsteps of the massive machines of war and destruction rang out, golems. A group of children ran past her excitedly, and she followed them. They led her to the main road through the city, cleared of wreckage, but still marred by battle. From below the golems came, led by a strange model she had never seen before, it was black and silver, with ahorn of broken blade.

The golem carried itself ploudly, and bore a massive Crisnan flag affixed to an enourmous pike. Behnd the strange golem, a procession of them. Directly behind the leader, a stark white, standard Athens model Taulus, heavily armored and emblazoned with spades. Beside it, a shimmering gold golem with sapphire stripes. Other than it's striking colors, it stood out with it's flanged curaise, an uncommon accesory for a golem, as they were essentially giant suits of armor in and of themselves. Following the obvious command golems, four of Athens' new Artemis models, and a procession of eight of Crisna's signature Fafnir models, all carrying gargantuan lances.

A small showing of power, but if the reports were correct, the lead golem, the silver and black one, had single handedly destroyed General Vorcues, a man once beleived invincible. She had to admit, there was something off about the golem, but she couldn't place it, something to ponder, she reasoned.

She followed the procession to the castle, where a crowd had gathered to see the pilots of the great behemoths. The King and Queen were present, on a balcony overlooking the courtyard in which the golems had arrived. The silver black golem stopped before the balcony, and knelt, planting it's pike in the dirt and letting the flag affixed to it fly high. All the other golems in the procession did the same, setting thirteen of Crisna's flags fluttering in the wind.

The hatches of the machines began to open and out stepped the strangest assorment of soldiers she thought she may ever have seen. The Fafnir pilots were all about as one might expect of a golem pilot, but the Artemis pilots, and those of the Taulus, the gold golem, and the silver black one, were anything but. One of the Artemis pilots seemed a body builder, another looked... she couldn't place it, but he didnt seem to belong in a golem, for some reason.

THe other two Artemis pilots looked to be identicle twins of no more than fiftenn or sixteen. The pilots of the gold golem and the Taulus looked to be brother and sister, the former looked like a perfect fit for his golem, and the latter had white spades fixed in her dark hair, and looked too cocky to be a commander.

But it was the silver black's pilot that threw her the most, He was well muscled, had blond hair and fair skin that had seen more sun than most ever did. and he was so young! he couldnt be more than twentyfour or twentyfive! The way he carried himself, she couldnt believe him to have een a soldier long, he seemed more a merchant or a farmer, if she had to go by his build and compexion alone.

They were definately a strange group, but they were the ones who had apparently wethered and routed Athen's main invasion force. Nerana decided she should meet these pilots herself, the silver-black's for sure. She made her way through the crowd and to the stairs to the balcony, identifying herself to the guards when stopped.

"Nerana Ferrus, Emmisary to Orlando, pleased to make your aquaintance, Highness." She said to the young ruler of the country. King Hodr couldn't be much older than the pilot of the silver-black golem, nor his wife, Queen Sigyn, who seemed distracted by one of the pilots in the courtyard, how strange.

"Miss Ferrus, it is a pleasure, have you enjoyed our parade?" The King asked her, offering a smile and an incline of his head. "I will admit, your proplr are in high spirits, and your golems appear very formidible, I commend you. I should like to meet the pilots." Nerana told him, inspecting him.

"Our vitory was very heartening to the people, it does them good to see their army protect them. Of course," Hodr turned from her to the assembled pilots, "Cavaliers, assemble." He commanded, heading for the stairs. After a moment, the Queen pulled her eyes from the courtyard, and followed, and Nerana followed them. They descended to the courtyard, to the assembled, mismatched force of pilots.

"Cavaliers, this is Nerana Ferrus, the emissary from Orlando, she has come to meet you and discuss an alliance between our nations, be so kind as to introduce yourselves." Hodr said, motioning to Narvi to begin.

"Your highness," She turned to Nerana, "Armored Cavalier Commandant Narvi Geft, Ms. Ferrus." She said, proud and commanding, she was clearly a leader. "Armored Cavalier First Lieutenant Nile Geft, Ms. Ferrus" He was strong and had a commanding air, like his sister, but seemed not to have his own command.

"Armored Cavalier Lieutenant Russel Loggin, Ms. Ferrus." Precise and confident, a dependable soldier, Nerana thought. "Brigadier General Rygart Arrow, Ms. Ferrus." A bonafide General, but he is so young.. He is a general, but from the way he speak and how he carries himself, he has never had a command before, never led troops, and surely not been a soldier very long, and yet such a high rank... Up close Nerana could see his weather beaten skin, were he not wearing gloves, she was sure his hands would be callused from labor.

The others rattled off their names and ranks, but she was lost in thought over the slayer of Vorcues, the pilot of the silver-black golem, Brigadier General Arrow. His rank must be a reward. She could not see anything overly speacial about the boy, other than his looks, he was just an average soldier, if that. She needed to know more.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"So we have Orlando's support in this war?" Hodr asked the emissary, sure he hadheard right, but wanting her to say it clearly. "Yes, you have Orlando's full military support in your war with Athens, you may expect our forces to begin arriving in two days time." Nerana replied, cementing their aid in the conflict.

"Crisna thanks you, Orlando will be of great aid in the coming battles." Hodr told her, seeing an inkling of hope in the shroud of darkness that had surrounded his kingdom. Before Nerana could say anything further, a contingent of the Royal Guard burst into the room and surrounded th king and his council. A siren began to wail and the dull, distant thump of golems reached their ears.

"Situation report! What's going on?!" The King yelled, demanding to know why the siren was going off. "Majesty, a surprise attack from Athens!" a guardsman offered, his pressrifle shouldered and aimed for the door. "Quickly, alert the pilots, I want them all at the ready!" Hodr yelled, making his way to the window to look out over the western section of the city, where the siren had originated.

"Majesty, they have been alerted, but the Delphine has already moved to engage the enemy!" The guard told him, trying to urge his charge away from the window. "Rygart is already on the move? Good." As the king said it, a black and silver blur raced over the roofs of the buildings in the western quadrent, towards the gate. "Could that be, a golem? How is that possible?" Nerana asked, watching as the massive streak hurtled to where a group of Taulus had just come over the wall.

"Rygart is the best pilot we have." Hodr put up, effortlessly lying to keep the secret of their most powerful weapon. In the blink of an eye, the streak descended upon the attacking golems like a bird of prey, a hawk swooping down for a rat. Before Nerana's very eyes, she saw what she would equivelate to a god, the Delphine, a silver and black blur, flashing from Taulus to Taulus, jamming it's fists into heads and shearing off limbs with a fick of the wrist.

It had grabbed its pike, Crisna's flag still attached, and was whipping it through the air, spearing two or three golems at a time, high in the chest, avoiding the pilots, then lunging at another. At the hieght of it's assualt, the mech jammed it's fist through the head of a golem, then grabbed it by the shoulders and swung it around like a club, taking down the last two golems by beating them with their comrade.

The Delphine had just taken down eight-teen golems in under five minutes, with nothing but a pike and it's bare hands, and hadnt killed a single pilot, from the looks of it. Nerana was in awe. So this was Crisna's secret weapon, a walking WMD. But it's pilot, Rygart Arrow, he hadn't seemed a soldier, she had pegged him for a laborer, and here he had done something unheard of.

"Why isnt this model golem mass produced? Why is it not your country's standard model?" Nerana asked the King. It was the Queen who responded, "Rygart is the only pilot we have that can handle the Delphine's load, no other pilot can even make it move." she told the emissary, it was the truth, well, most of it.

No other pilot can make it move... how curious. "Just what makes it so difficult to move?" Nerana asked the queen, turning to her with an inquisitive eye. "Its the process we used to make the Delphine's ligaments, they become more difficult to control, to the point of inopperability." Sigyn told her, becoming slightly defensive.

"Dont worry, I'm not here to pry at your secrets, you can relax." Nerana told her with a laugh, trying to diffuse the situation. "General Arrow must be an inredibly powerful magician, to not only use your Delphine, but mke it perform so well." The Emissary commented. "He's... a strange guy." The queen responded with a wistful look in her eye and an absent smile.

Nerana arched a brow, it seemed that there was more to the relationship between Queen and General than appeared, "Strange guy huh? I guess I will have to take your word for it." With a shift of her hair, the Emissary fastened her traveling cloakand turned for the door, "I thank you for having me, King Hodr, Queen Sigyn, but I must be going now. I will have our army mobilize when I return, you may expect them within three days time, should the weather hold." Nerana told them, not waiting for a reply as she left them in their council room.

"Many interesting things are about to happen, I'm sure of it." She said as she left, destined for her home in Orlando, and the war council.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Eighteen prisoners, twelve men, six women, none of them injured past minor cuts and scrapes, and one broken arm, from the original attack on Bennontin. Their defeat at the hands of a single golem had silenced any attempts to escape, they were all still in shock from the lightening speed in which they had all been felled.

Truth told, Hodr would have prefered that Rygart had killed all the pilots, he didn't know what to do with prisoners of war, Crisna didnt have a history of taking them, opting nstead with lethal force in their assualts, now they had a dungeon with thirty-two sould languishing in it, and no idea what to do with them other than let them lay.

After the thwarted attack, Rygart admitted to Narvi that he wouldn't have been able to take them out if they had knew he was coming, none of them had managed a shot off, he had struck that quickly. The commandant gave him grief for charging in like he did, but really she was impressed, he had the makings of a good soldier, and a good friend.

While he was a brutal fighter, and a tactical nightmare, he was kind, forgiving, and one of the best people she knew. If she had room in her heart past the massive hole her surrogate father's death had torn, she might even love him, but right now, her greif consumed her when she wasn't moving, acting, doing.

She found herself, after the reports and returning her golem to it's hangar, crying, mourning general Tru. Rygart found her, perched on a window ledge overlooking the sea. He took one guess as to her tears, and went to her, wrapping her in a warm hug, letting her soak his jacket with her tears.

A couple of his own fell, but mostly he just held her and soothed her, let her bleeding heart pour over him like a waterfall, washing away his problems and replacing them with hers. Through her sobs and her tears, she told him of how Tru had been a father to her and Nile, how he had poured money into the orphanage so they could eat, how he had always visited and played with them, gossiped and told stories and just hung around with them.

In the end, the late general sounded a lot like Rygart's own father, his dad had been the exact same thing for him and Rygotts, a friend. Hearing about the man only amplified the pain of his death, and Rygart's father's as well. Another wave of sobs overcame Narvi, but she had run out of tears. Rygart wrapped her in another hug, and soon the Commandant fell still. Rygart opened his mouth to ask if she was ok when a soft snore drifted up from her.

The General's cheeks flushed slightly, and he shook her gently. Her eyes opened slightly and she looked around confusedly. What she saw, a strikingly handsome face, angled jaw, ruffled golden hair, sticking out in places, thin, but full lips, a perfect pink, a slim, curved-in nose, and presiding over all, dominating his features, warm, inviting, sky-blue eyes, fathomlessly deep and full of emotion.

"Let me... Let me stay here like this, Rygart." SHe said, it was a question, but she couldn't help how it sunded like an order. A small smile crossed the god's lips, "Sure Narvi."


End file.
